Looking at the world through note-colored lenses
By Massiel Bobadilla
June 8, 2008 9:00 p.m.
There are few opportunities out there for soft-spoken people to have their voices heard. Cutthroat competition seems to be everywhere, with those who shout the loudest or bite the hardest being the only ones who are able to get their ideas across.
It’s easy for the more timid among us to become easily intimidated. Luckily for me ““ being one of a bashful bunch who finds merit in quiet observation rather than reckless abandon ““ my time at the Daily Bruin proved to be the ideal medium through which I could express myself.
The artistic liberties that come along with Arts writing allowed me to explore the beautiful intricacies of music via the interconnecting rhythms of drums, vocals, strings and horns.
The great thing about music is its versatility. A veritable chameleon, music has the capacity to transform itself into everything from an angry diatribe, to a passionate ballad, to a soulful protest and everything in between. Writing about the people behind music helped me put names and faces and histories onto the often abstract nature of music itself.
For me, the most rewarding part of being a journalist is being able to bridge the gaps between the public at large and the smaller, often overlooked pockets of society whose fascinating stories have yet to be told. Giving a voice to those who don’t have one ““ and in so doing, being able to find a voice of my own ““ has helped to shape me during the near two years I spent as a writer for the Daily Bruin.
Of course, the ins and outs of the newspaper industry that I learned while working for The Bruin will undoubtedly come in handy as I try to navigate the terrifying waters of the job market. Nevertheless, the insight I’ve gained into the limitless diversity of my school and my beautiful city through the inclusivity of music will stay with me well into the future, constantly reminding me of the knowledge to be gained through exposing myself to the captivatingly unknown world around me.
Bobadilla was an Arts & Entertainment reporter from 2007-2008.
